Abstract
BackgroundThe perioperative setting demands strong teamwork to ensure safe patient care, but anecdotally surgeons and anesthesiologists are not always fully truthful with each other. The present study sought to determine the frequency of misrepresentation of the truth in the perioperative setting.MethodsDirect mailed survey in the United States about misrepresenting information to colleagues in a national random sample of 1130 anesthesiologists and 1130 surgeons.ResultsReflecting the sensitive nature of these questions, only 252 (11 %) surveys were returned-128/1130 by anesthesiologists and 124/1130 by surgeons. While modest numbers of both anesthesiologists (34/128, 27 %) and surgeons (8/124, 7 %) acknowledged misreporting information at least once per month, misreporting was considerably more common among responding anesthesiologists. Among anesthesiologists the majority (68 %) were concerned that surgeons misreported information to them once a month or more often, though only 8 % of surgeons shared reciprocal concerns. More than a third of responding anesthesiologists (36 %) reported having seen their teachers misreport information to surgeons during their training.ConclusionsThese findings, though preliminary due to the small sample, raise concerns about a possible culture of misrepresentation, passed on between generations, in some perioperative environments. Misreporting of information should be examined in more detail and addressed at local levels whenever it is found. Further research is required to determine if the reported behaviors represent routine gaming of perioperative care systems or deliberate and intentional deception. Strategies aimed at fostering conditions in which open honest communication can thrive should be investigated.
Highlights
The perioperative setting demands strong teamwork to ensure safe patient care, but anecdotally surgeons and anesthesiologists are not always fully truthful with each other
There is increasing attention to safety culture, teamwork and communication practices in medicine [1, 2]. This focus has lead to large initiatives focused on effective communication skills [3]
As a result of such initiatives, the contribution of dysfunctional behavior in the perioperative setting is increasingly being scrutinized as a potential source of adverse outcomes and healthcare worker job dissatisfaction [4, 5]
Summary
The perioperative setting demands strong teamwork to ensure safe patient care, but anecdotally surgeons and anesthesiologists are not always fully truthful with each other. There is increasing attention to safety culture, teamwork and communication practices in medicine [1, 2] This focus has lead to large initiatives focused on effective communication skills [3]. As a result of such initiatives, the contribution of dysfunctional behavior in the perioperative setting is increasingly being scrutinized as a potential source of adverse outcomes and healthcare worker job dissatisfaction [4, 5]. Among these dysfunctional behaviors may be intentional physician-to-physician deception. Almost nothing is known about whether physicians ever intentionally deceive each other in the course of patient care
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
